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Australian police conduct counter-terrorism raids across Sydney

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Giving nuts more excuses. The Australian authorities insist on continuing the cycle.

How many Muslim homes did they raid this time? And how few people in them could be charged with anything?

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Jake, would you care to elaborate on your cryptic comments? You think the authorities are perpetuating a cycle that would die out naturally if they didn't take any action?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

You think the authorities are perpetuating a cycle that would die out naturally if they didn't take any action?

Pretty tired of people thinking that criticism of one action is the same as dismissing any action that could possibly take place. At least you put it in a question form.

There was nothing cryptic about my comments. This article is just plain incomplete. We don't know how many homes were raided and we don't know how many people were charged with anything. But on September 18 this year 25 homes were raided and only 2 men were charged with anything. That is a lot of Muslims harassed by police over two men, especially considering one of them was only known to have an illegal firearm AFTER the raids. Computers were confiscated, over a dozen people were detained and released. Police brutality was alleged and a protest of up to 400 Muslims ensued.

Those raids on apparently innocent people's homes were conducted on the basis of one phone call. But one has to suspect that a hell of a lot of information was collected before that call, and one has to ask by what method?

I don't know what specific rights Australians have, but it hardly matters. If they don't have the right to be secure in their homes and communications and people will be targeted in their homes on the basis of their religious and other affiliations, there is going to be a hell of a lot of trouble.

Arresting people on the basis of strong evidence is fine with me. Raiding dozens of homes on the basis of flimsy evidence against one guy is out of the question. If the police keep doing this it will expand and perpetuate violent attacks rather than prevent them.

Plus, even ordinary Australians have just gained good reason to be afraid of the police. Thus, the police are a terror unto themselves.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

@Jake Lonergan And you probably believe that all it will take is Australia pulling out of the anti-ISIS coalition to stop these attacks. If not please tell us what is the solution.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

If not please tell us what is the solution.

Raid specific homes containing specific individuals who will be arrested on firm evidence.

But did I not already say that?

Further I will say there will be violence anyway. Its a fact of life. My charge is that the police are making it all worse by raiding dozens of homes to get one man based on flimsy evidence. Don't Aussies have search and seizure rights? Would you like to guess why Americans do? To ward off state terrorism of the people, that's why!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The arrested lots last time but no one was charged for the plastic sword they found. Its just to shift focus away from how usless Abbott is and support the US criminals like Dick.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Jake, thank you for your detailed response. You filled me in on the background to those earlier 'problem' raids which I had only heard rumours about. In light of that, I can better understand your first comments above.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Jake Well then I think we are largely in agreement. The only difference is I don't believe the most recent hostage taker was on any sort of "quest for liberty". Arresting a moderate muslim on false charges and then releasing them a few days later is not likely to result in them taking hostages. If you can find a moderate muslim that is...

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The only difference is I don't believe the most recent hostage taker was on any sort of "quest for liberty".

Honestly, neither do I. But I do think its quite possible those earlier raids had something to do with setting him off.

My current view was that he was just a nut doing what nuts do. However, I do believe he might have been handed an excuse there was never a reason to hand him.

In other words, if the police had more surgically arrested the one guy they were truly after, there would have been less hub bub, and the Dec. 15 crisis might not have even happened.

But thank you all for listening to my words about prior events, and incorporating those facts into your opinion. So much happens in the world, and valuable details get lost. Cheers!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Jake Search warrants are a tool to assist an investigation and there must be reasonable suspicion that something exists on those premises before a magistrate or judge can issue a warrant. Not every warrant results in someone getting locked up at the end of it.

As far as what set off the gunman, we may never know. The raids were a few months back now of which I don't think he was a part of, but bear in mind that his appeal to the High Court the week before to have his conviction for postal harassment charges overturned had failed.

Our nation has suffered a bit over the last week and a half and as far as the reputation of the Police and the 'state', I'd say the public is right behind them.

My two cents worth

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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